microwave (oven)
[noun]
[de mag-ne-tron, de mag-ne-trons]

If you think that “magnetron” is the Dutch translation of the name of a character from the X-men or Transformers series, you’re wrong… 🙂

The Netherlands are probably the only country in the world where the microwave oven is called by its main internal component that produces the microwave radiation: the cavity magnetron… Even in Belgium, the Dutch “magnetron” is called “microgolfoven” (i.e. the literal translation of microwave oven).

Sometimes you will see the word “combi-magnetron”, which means that the microwave also has an oven/grill function.

Examples:
– “Verwarm de saus drie minuten in de magnetron op 1000 Watt.” 
(“Heat up the sauce for three minutes in the microwave at 1000 Watt.”)

– “Kunnen we die noedels van de afhaalchinees ook morgen nog in de magnetron stoppen?”
(“Can we put those noodles from the take-away Chinese in the microwave tomorrow?.”)

– “Frank heeft nooit zin om te koken en haalt altijd een magnetronmaaltijd van de supermarkt.”
(“Frank never feels like cooking and always gets a microwave dinner at the supermarket.”)

Related words:
– Opwarmen: to heat up [verb] [warmde op, opgewarmd].
– Vermogen: power [noun] [het vermogen, de vermogens].

Example:
– “Hoe lang moet deze maaltijd in de magnetron?” – “Vijf minuten op vol vermogen.”
(“How long does this dinner have to go in the microwave?” – “Five minutes at full power.)

– Koken: to cook [verb] [kookte, gekookt].

movement, move, motion, exercise
[noun]
[de be-we-ging, de be-we-gin-gen]

"Beweging" and the related verb "bewegen" have everything to do with movement, exercise, and motion. It can be used in both a literal and a figurative sense. Note that the past participle of "bewegen" is "bewogen", and can also be used as an adjective/adverb meaning "moved", "eventful" or "emotive".

Examples:
– "Ik heb een stijve nek, ik heb duidelijk wat meer beweging nodig." 
("I have a stiff neck, I clearly need more exercise".)

– "Hoe heb je je enkel verstuikt?" – "Ik maakte een verkeerde beweging tijdens mijn tenniswedstrijd." 
("How did you sprain your ankle?" – "I made a wrong move during my tennis game.")

– "De vredesbeweging protesteerde op de Dam." 
("The peace movement demonstrated at Dam Square.")

– "Iedere dag minimaal een half uur bewegen is goed voor je gezondheid." 
("Exercising at least half an hour each day is good for your health.")

– "Hij heeft een bewogen leven gehad: hij heeft in twee oorlogen gevochten." 
("He has had an eventful life: he fought in two wars.")

– "Hij was diep bewogen door haar pleidooi voor meer vrijheid." 
("He was deeply moved by her plea for more freedom.")

Expressions:
– "In beweging zetten/krijgen": to start up, to begin to move.

Example:
– "Ze is zo lui als een varken, ze is niet in beweging te krijgen."
("She’s very lazy, I can’t make her do anything." Lit.: "She’s as lazy as a pig, she is hard to move.")

– "Een omtrekkende beweging maken": to try to bypass/circumvent.

Example:
– "Zij maakte een omtrekkende beweging toen hij die confronterende vraag aan haar stelde."
("She tried to circumvent answering when he asked her that confronting question.")

– "Uit eigen beweging": of one’s own accord.

Example:
– "Niemand heeft hem gedwongen, hij deed het uit eigen beweging."
("Nobody forced him, he did it out of his own free will.")

Related words:
– Bewegen: to move [verb] [bewegen, bewoog, bewogen].
– Bewogen: moved, eventful, emotive [adjective/adverb].

to gossip
[verb]
[rod-del-de, ge-rod-deld]

Like most people, the Dutch like to gossip, translated "roddelen". The gossip about the famous Dutch – the "BN’ers" – can be found in the Dutch gossip magazines ("roddelbladen"), see Extra.

Examples:
– "Frank roddelt altijd achter de rug van zijn baas." 
("Frank always gossips behind his chef’s back.")

– "Ik? Een affaire met de buurvrouw? Wie heeft er geroddeld? Dat slaat nergens op!" 
("Me? An affair with my neighbour? Who told you that gossip? That makes no sense at all!")

– "Welke BN’ers staan nu weer in de roddelbladen?" 
("Which famous Dutch are in the gossip magazines now?")

Related words:
– Roddelblad: gossip magazine, tabloid [noun] [het roddelblad, de roddelbladen].

Example:
– "Ik lees altijd de roddelbladen bij de kapper."
("I always read the gossip magazines when I’m at the hairdresser.")

– Weekblad: weekly magazine (that’s how gossip magazines like to call themselves 🙂 ) [noun] [het weekblad, de weekbladen].
– Babbelen: to chat, to chatter [verb] [babbelde, gebabbeld].
– Kletsen: to talk (nonsense), to chatter [ver] [kletste, gekletst].
– Achterklap: gossip [noun] [de achterklap, <no plural>].
– Riooljournalistiek: yellow journalism (lit.: sewer journalism) [noun] [de riooljournalistiek, <no plural>].

Extra:
The Dutch have gossip magazines too. Here’s an (probably incomplete) overview:
– Story (the first Dutch gossip magazine)
– Privé
– Weekend
– Party

Actually, in the Netherlands there are no tabloids comparable to the tabloids in – for example – the UK (Daily Star, The Sun, etc.). The Dutch newspaper "Telegraaf" has somewhat the look and feel of a tabloid, but is still considered to be a quality newspaper. The Telegraaf has a special gossip section though, with selection of the topics and articles in the Privé gossip magazine…

regret 
[noun]
[de spijt, <no plural>]

"Spijt" is the Dutch equivalent of "regret". It is often used in the construction "spijt hebben van iets", which literally translates to "to have regret over something", but which is commonly translated with "to regret something".

The related verb is "spijten": to regret. You may sometimes here the somewhat formal phrase: "Het spijt me", which literally translates to "It regrets me", but which is best translated with "I’m sorry". However, the Dutch mostly use "sorry" to express their regret over small everyday issues 🙂

Examples:
– "Ik heb geen spijt van mijn beslissing." 
("I don’t regret my decision.")

– "Zullen we nog een afzakkertje doen?" – "Het spijt me, ik ben blut…"
("Shall we have one for the road?" – "I’m sorry, I’m broke…")

– "Spijt…dat heb ik een paar keer gehad…" 
("Regrets…I’ve had a few…" Lit.: "Regret…I’ve had that a couple of times…")

– "Het spijt me voor je."
("I feel sorry for you.")

– "Waarom heb je de afwas nog niet gedaan?" – "Sorry schat, er was voetbal op TV…"
("Why haven’t you done the dishes yet?" – "Sorry honey, there was (a) soccer (match) on TV…")

Expressions:
– "Tot mijn/onze spijt": I/we regret to [+ verb]. Lit.: "To our regret".

Example:
– "Tot onze spijt moeten wij u mededelen dat de trein van half tien niet zal vertrekken vandaag." 
("We regret to inform you that the 9.30h train will not depart today.")

– "Spijt betuigen": to express one’s regrets.

Related words:
– Helaas: unfortunately [adverb].
– Jammer: too bad, (it’s a) pity [adverb].
– Berouw: remorse [noun] [het berouw, <no plural>].

Example:
– "Zondaar! Toon berouw over uw zonden, en gij zult vergeven worden!"
("Sinner! Show remorse over your sins, and thou shallt be forgiven")

border, limit
[noun]
[de grens, de gren-zen]

"Grens" means "border" or "limit". If you ever travel by public transport, you’ll hear it every time you cross from one zone into another (you pass the "zonegrens"). Within most countries in Europe, borders can be easily crossed without check-ups but you’ll still find the "grenspalen" ("border posts") and "grenskantoren" ("border offices") marking the border. "Grens" is also often used in a figurative sense.

Examples:
– "Op de grens tussen Nederland en België staan grenspalen." 
("On the border of The Netherlands and Belgium there are border posts." See a "border post" in the picture.)

– "Ik begrijp dat je iedereen wilt helpen, maar we moeten ergens een grens trekken." 
("I understand that you want to help everyone, but we have to draw a line somewhere.")

– "Ik heb alles geprobeerd met haar: praten, schelden, dreigen; nu is mijn grens bereikt!" 
("I’ve tried everything with her: talking, scolding, threatening; now I’ve had enough!" Lit.: "…now my limit has been reached.")

– "Het slachtoffer van het ongeluk balanceerde twee uur op de grens tussen leven en dood." 
("The victim of the accident balanced on the verge between life and death for two hours.)

Expressions:
– "Je grenzen opzoeken": to find out how far you can go.

Example:
– "Je kunt beter vanaf het begin duidelijk zijn wat mag en wat niet mag, want hij zoekt je grenzen op."
("You’d better be clear from the start what’s allowed and what’s not, because he will try to find out how far he can go with you.")

– "Geen grenzen hebben": to have no limits.

Example:
– "Zij werkt dag en nacht; haar ambitie kent geen grenzen."
("She works night and day; her ambition has no limits.")

– "Er zijn grenzen!": there are limits (and you’ve reached them now)!

– "Een woordje over de grens spreken": to speak other languages (bit old-fashioned).

Example:
– "Hij spreekt een aardig woordje over de grens."
("He speaks other languages.")

Related words:
– Zonegrens: zone limit [noun] [de zonegrens, de zonegrenzen].
– Grenspaal: border post [noun] [de grenspaal, de grenspalen].
– Grenswachter: border guard [noun] [de grenswachter, de grenswachters].
– Grenspaal: border post [noun] [de grenspaal, de grenspalen].